New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-21
BISMARCK THE YOUNGER.
A COPY OF HIS FATHER ONLY IN FOiBLEs
AND WEAKNESSES.


1t is daily becoming more and more aPp"ieh'
that the Chancellor Intends far as it Is IN MS
power to pcrpetuate in his own family the III
fuence which he yields over the aged Emperor
and-as the Crown Princes life still trempes III
the balance-also over the EmperOr's prooaple
successor Prince William. Everything that an
indulgcnt father, powerful favorlte, a crafty
and ambitious statesman could do to promote
the fortunes OF his son has been done in the case
of Count Herbert Bismarck. At an age when
many young man of excellent family and vastly
superior attachments than those possessed by Count
Herbert is content in this country with fighting
the wrinkles of his stomach on some threc-legged
stool in ono of the great departments OF the
Government he is made q Secretary OF State,
Councillor of don't know how many dcgreesof
Intimacy, Special Envoy and is even now being
talked of as Ambassador to the Court OF st.
James. All this before he is thirty Eight years
of age. No wonder that people here, even the most
loyal, begin TO murmur and talk of favoritism.
"Your father, my dear fellow, is responsible for
the rise of "A modern majordomo."
THAT may be; but there is no Pepn to succeed
our Martel."
This is the answer which the Crown Prince was
overheard making not long ago at one OF the
court receptions to the garrulous ana indiscreet
old King of Wuremburg. He is probably right.
There is no danger OF Count Herbert being "a
Pcpin, except a very small one; but he might,
nevertheless, do a heap of mischief in his day
were he permitted to ripcn prematurely.
Like almost all children of great men, Count
Herbert is US insignificant as his father is re-
markable. 1t may not be fair, perhaps, TO conf
pare a son, whatever his merits or shortcomings,
with a father of such gigantic proportlons-the
contrast is too great and must inevitably result
in bringing into still more prominent relief the
faults and weaknesses Of the son, which otherwise
might pass unnotced. But one is compelled TO do
so here because Count Herbert, exhibiting SIN
gular lack of Judgment and want of common
sense, constantly thrusts himself forward ana In
vtes criticism. Relying upon his position as the
son of the Chancellor, he disdains making friends
and has succeeded i'll turning many oil the most
honest admirers of his father into
personal enemies of his Hot-headed,
overbearing and presumptuous, he is as
vain as lie is egOtisticai. l would not DE
far from wrong il | called him cruel. In another
age and born to re purple he might have been
a Caracalla. But luckily for him, perhaps, he was
only born with o silver spoon In his mouth.
Has he got that baggage tdas mensch) with
him vet ?" inquiries the Prince with sirdonic
smile of a friend just returned from Venice,
Carolath. who had left her husbands palace to
seek consolation in the arms Of the Chaneeliors
son. If he hasn't" added he, Il should Like
him TO 90 TO work again" That escapade OF
Count Hcrbert's furnished the capital with food
for scandal for months. Not that the papers dared
TO discuss it or even much as refer TO it but
society," which here is delightfully."- malicious and
like Katisha almost wec-httle-b' fcndish- when
misfortune overtakcs ii ncighbor, rolled this bit
of scandal under its tongue like sweet moisel
and has not forgotten the taste IF II even yet
though il occurred nearly three years ago. refer
I'm II now smnly because il illustrates pause
NJ Count Uerbcrts character, and incidentally
shows also his fathers utter Indifference TO the
oualitv OF oats which the son may choose to SOW
Cheap laureaes and servle biographies have repre-
scented the Chancellor as a very stratiaced'
thorou ghgoing and emirently orthodox Christian.
lie may be so-in public, en- n@gHge as 1t WERE
he is I think. pre-cminenty "a man OF Inc
world" in all that the term implies. What rendered
the CarOlath scandal however, so peculiarly
atrocious was the subsequent conduct OF Count
Herbert 10 which il is not necessary to refer
here 1t would have made any other young man
impossible" as they say in Berlin But the pres
tige of the Chancellor pulled Count Herbert
through, and to-day society crlnges before him
as of old.
While possessing none of the great virtues
Of the father, there reproduced in the son IN
tcnfoh measure all his lesser qualities. Lake the
father he has an inoriinate desire TO exercise
dominion in his own person. lie changes MS
opinion with the same facility that he abandohs
his friends. His conscience knows no scrupIes.
lie brushes II who do not obey him bindly, resist
or thwart his whims, or who DOUBT his political
frn, flnn
trick of squeezing an orange and throwing it away
aftcrward Lifelong devotion, faithful perform
nnce of duty an honorable name-nOthing avalB
the man that has ceased being useful TO the Bis
marcl,s When he can no longer be of service to
the Prince or his son, he is Observation-Disclosures
mcercmoniously and with less regard, perhaps,
than some lackcy might Baron Won kendelI was
for many years German Minister at tic Quitlnai.
He had beer. "a fcltow-student with The Prince at
GottinCen | believe. Together they had III early
life served tho Government as "assessors." When
Rismorcxs star rose, Kcudell became one of his
trusted lieuteuants His devotion to his patron
,yas iudicrous sometimes, il not touching. When
the Chancellor was in dreamy mood keudell
would play for him, IL the Princess wanted
mariner at cards Kcudell was sent for. when the
children wanted an excursion keudcH would ac-
company them If the wine IN the cellar was low
Keudell would write letters to the wine merchants
ordering more. At all sorts OF en-
tertainmcnts Keudell was the leading
shirt; he arranged them; he saw that every
thing was done properly and he held himself
responsible for their success lie even went so
far as TO invent new dishes to tickle the palate
of the Prince, and rumor has 1t that he didht
disdain bringing the great mans slippers wheh
they were wanted. All this the excellent fellow
ala for tho love Of his patron. Count Herbert and
his brother "Bill' only knew him as Aunt
Keudell," and Aunt Keudell' dldn blush either
when he was SO called He swallowed the insult
so that he might serve the Prince. Strange to
saw. Keudell was, barring this slavish devotion
|. l. nudao nul q